


lonely no more

by readerstable



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Drunken Confessions, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Not So Unrequited Love, One Shot, Pining, buck deserves his happy ending, eddie is a gentleman, eddie using buck's real name, first I love you, may or may not have stolen a line from "Frasier", the one where they realize they have been dating all along
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:34:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24956932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readerstable/pseuds/readerstable
Summary: “Uh, Eddie, I had a dream last night where I said a lot of things to you. Uh.. private things.” Buck looked painfully shy, which was unlike him.Eddie smiled again. “You weren’t dreaming, my friend.” Buck’s eyes went wide at this information. Eddie made a mental note at how quickly Buck was able to snap out of his drunkenness and into panic mode.Eddie cut him off as he opened his mouth. He now knew that Buck was a talker. “Listen, Buck. It’s okay, we all say things we don’t mean when we had too much to drink.”“That’s the thing, though.” Buck began, rubbing his eyes. “I meant them, Eddie."Or, Buck drunkenly tells Eddie that he wants him to be his husband...
Relationships: Buddie - Relationship, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), brief mention of madney
Comments: 6
Kudos: 318





	lonely no more

It was just like any other night that Buck and Eddie spent together, except now that Chris was at camp, the two could actually go out to a bar instead of hanging out at one of their homes. Usually, Eddie would invite Buck over for movie night with Chris, and it became such a normal part of their routine that a night out together felt like a special occasion. 

Eddie and Buck spent so much time together outside of work that it felt abnormal when they were apart. Any special occasion, or any mundane day off would be spent together. After taking a cab from work to a bar they had attended a few times before, the two were able to relax without worrying about getting home on time or having to wake up early the next morning for work. 

When the cab pulled up to the bar, Eddie instinctively pulled out his wallet to pay the driver, swatting Buck’s hand away when he tried to protest.

“Don’t start with this ‘let me pay’ nonsense,” Eddie started, following Buck towards the bar doors. “You’re the one always bringing Chris and I pizza.” 

Buck scoffed, but smiled as Eddie held the door open for him. They made their way over to the bar in the loud restaurant and ordered two beers. Still smiling, Buck leaned in toward Eddie’s ear, “Our first mistake was deciding to go to a bar in the middle of Los Angeles on a Saturday night.” 

Eddie laughed and raised his voice in response over the loud music, “When did you get so old?” 

Buck pointed over to what appeared to be some sort of party happening on the other side of the bar where the people were mostly drunk already. “I have a feeling that those people are gonna get annoying!”

Eddie smiled at his best friend. “I know I only met you after Buck 1.0 was over, but I can tell that you’ve matured.” He said, pronouncing the final word jokingly. “Just focus on our little corner of the bar.”

And that’s exactly what Buck tried to do. Soon, the two fell into the rhythm they fell in every time they were together as they talked about everything and nothing. Buck listened to Eddie’s tipsy description of a science project Christopher attempted while Eddie was showering that ended up with vinegar and baking soda spilled all over the kitchen floor. When Buck said he would do things like that when his parents weren’t looking, Eddie laughed, but still noticed the glimmer of seriousness in Buck’s eyes. 

“I’m assuming they didn’t react like I did with Chris.” Eddie suspected, taking a bite of the appetizer they ordered to share.

“I’ve never seen you treat Chris the way my parents treated me” Buck responded, quieter than they had been speaking before over the loud atmosphere of the bar. 

Buck shrugged his shoulders, sipping his beer. Eddie could tell something was on his mind, but didn’t want to pry too much since he knew his parents were a subject that was kind of off limits. 

“You’re such a good father to him,” Buck added. “You have nothing to worry about there.”

Eddie still stayed quiet. He thought tonight would be a fun, lighthearted evening, but it appeared that it was taking a deeper turn. 

“Buck, what’s up?” He asked bluntly. The two were just tipsy enough that they were still mostly coherent, but he didn’t want to take advantage of Buck in this state just to pry. 

“It’s just-“ Buck started, but quickly cut himself off.

“What?” Eddie prodded, following Buck’s focus that had shifted to the party on the other side of the restaurant. 

“I don’t know, man. It sounds dumb because I know that I have friends and I have Maddie back in my life. But sometimes I just feel so lonely. Like I don’t even know those people at that party over there and to be honest, I don’t want to. But seeing those people and those couples laughing and joking with each other makes me feel like something is missing.” He finished his last sip of beer and motioned at the bartender to order another. 

Eddie quickly realized Buck became a lot more open after downing some beers and not having to worry about Chris waking up. 

“Buck, I’m not gonna tell you not to feel that way because you are in charge of how you feel, but all I can say is that you have me. You’ve always had me…” Eddie paused, gauging Buck’s reaction. He can’t help but notice the curve of his lips when he slightly smiled. Or the fact that even though his hair looked purplish under the party lights of the bar, but still looked beautiful. Eddie snapped himself out of gawking, “Chris adores you. The team loves you, too.” He added. 

Buck smiled. By this point he was borderline drunk, but still had some of his wits about him. Eddie subconsciously decided to stop after 2 beers after seeing how Buck was feeling down. 

“Look at them,” Buck whined, looking at a couple at the party dancing together. Eddie couldn’t help but giggle at Buck’s childlike tone. “They look so happy together.”

“I think we should head out now. You’re really going through it tonight.” Eddie said, guiding Buck towards the door. 

“I’m sorry, Eddie. I wanted to make tonight nice for you, I really did. I know Christopher is away and I miss him and I’m worried about him and I wanted to keep you company so you didn’t have to be in an empty house waiting for him to come back-“ Buck rambled. 

Eddie chuckled at his friend’s state. “Buck, you’re good. You’re so good to me and Chris.”

“What are you doing?” Buck questioned as Eddie thumbed at his phone. 

“Ordering our cab.” Eddie said. He saw Buck swaying back and forth on the sidewalk. “Here. Hold onto my arm, you’re wobbly.” Eddie said, guiding Buck’s hand towards him.

“Soft hands.” Buck mumbled, patting Eddie’s hand as they walked toward the curb. 

Eddie chuckled. “You must be really drunk.”

“Edmundooooo Diaaaaaaaz,” Buck spoke loudly out of nowhere.

Eddie was blushing at this point. He didn’t realize Buck was somehow both an emotional drunk and a ridiculous drunk. 

“You know at my sister’s wedding when they were playing the slow music?” Buck huffed as Eddie maneuvered him into the backseat of the cab when it arrived a few moments later. Eddie was getting used to these random talking points Buck would come up with while drunk so he just nodded and got in the car.

Eddie told the driver his own address. “Ooh you’re taking me to your house? I love your house like my ownnnn.” Buck slurred and giggled. Eddie assumed he was on to his next random drunk thought process. 

“Yeah, you need to get a good rest and you’ll feel better tomorrow.” Eddie said, looking past Buck out the window behind him. 

“Anyway since you.. uh what’s that word? When you cut someone off when they’re talking?” Buck slurred.

“Interrupted?” Eddie suggested.

“Yes! When you interpreted me .. I was saying how at Maddie’s wedding I wanted to dance the slooooooow songs with you.” He said, elongating the word “slow”. “I know we all danced to the fun songs and at one point I carried Chris when we all did the conga line but when they music got all sappy like the hallmark movies, I just wanted you to dance with me.” Buck said, literally making puppy dog eyes at Eddie. 

Eddie was honestly astonished. His best friend is drunk, but he wants to take what he’s saying at face value. 

“You know what I reaaaaaly wanted at the wedding though?” Buck said a moment later as they were approaching Eddie’s house. He didn’t wait for Eddie’s response when he continued, “I wanted it to be me and you up there at that altar. When I was walking Maddie down the uhh- thing that you walk down. What is that called?” Buck said, briefly reminding Eddie that he was currently drunk and forgetting basic words. “Whatever. When I was walking Maddie to Chimney and you were up there as a groomsman, I’ll admit I was imagining I was walking down the aisle- Oh yeah! Aisle. That’s the word I was looking for. Why do they call it an aisle anyway? It’s not like it’s a grocery store. I think they should call it a lane. Or a street. Like-“

Eddie cut him off. “We’re home.” Eddie helped Buck out of the car and tipped the driver. When he turned around, he could see Buck sighing. 

“You keep interrupting me.” He pouted. 

“I’m not interrupting you, Buck. We’re just moving through the night as you keep talking.” Eddie said, getting a bit flustered, fishing his keys out of his pocket to unlock the front door. He wished that Buck would stop talking because he felt like this hole he was digging for them was getting deeper and deeper.

“I wish you were my husband.” Buck stated simply as he stared at the back of Eddie’s head.

This really caught Eddie’s attention. He turned around, but before he could ask what Buck was talking about, Buck opened his mouth yet again. 

“Ya know. You held the door for me. And you called the cab. And you helped me get in the car. And you let me hold your arm when I got wobbly. And you have such pretty eyes. And you’re such a good dad and Chris is so lucky to have you as his dad. And the other day when I forgot my water bottle at home, you gave me yours! Like where did you even drink your water from that day? I don’t know because I had your bottle!” Buck was clearly rambling and still mostly drunk. 

Eddie pulled him inside and guided him to the sofa. What Buck was saying was honestly a lot to take in, but he won’t lie about how giddy it made him feel inside. Like a teenager about to go on their first date. 

Eddie helped Buck sit down. “Can you get your own shoes and jacket off, or do you need help?”

Buck smiled. “I don’t need help with everything.” He then continued to attempt to untie his shoes and gave up after about five seconds. 

Eddie knelt down and began untying the larger knot Buck had inadvertently created. 

Buck looked down at the top of Eddie’s head as he was crouched at his feet. The look on Eddie’s face was very concentrated as he painstakingly untangled the large knot on one shoe and moved to take off the second shoe. If Buck were less drunk, he’d notice how Eddie’s breathing got heavier. 

“You’re like my prince charming.” Buck giggled, putting his hand on the top of Eddie’s head. Even while drunk, his touch was feather light as he held Eddie’s head like it was made of glass. 

“Did you know when you cut your hair really short, I was really mad. Like a lot mad. But I still thought you were pretty. And then Maddie told me that if your crush gets a haircut and you still like him, then you really must love him. Because even though I hated your hair, I still loved you.” Buck said, punctuating his statement with a yawn.

Eddie’s head snapped towards Buck for what felt like the tenth time that night. Buck was revealing so much and Eddie felt guilty for not stopping him from spilling his secrets to him while drunk. Even though Eddie desperately wanted to hold Buck in his arms and tell him how he felt, Eddie felt responsible to take care of Buck and get him to sleep. He briefly regarded this as the type of “husband action” that Buck listed earlier. 

Buck was clearly not aware of all he had said. He yawned again and nuzzled back into the couch. He had slept on it enough times after a movie night that he was instantly comfortable. Still in a bit of a fog, Eddie retrieved a pillow and blankets for him and turned off the lights as he began to turn toward his own room. 

He looked back at his best friend, mostly drunk and half asleep on his living room couch. “Good night, Buck.”

Buck smiled, even though his eyes were closed. “Night, Eds.”

Eddie breathed a sigh of relief. At least Buck hadn’t told him he loved him again-“

“Love ya.” Buck murmured a second later, then he was out like a light. 

Eddie could only chuckle quietly to himself. Boy, was tomorrow going to be interesting. 

Eddie awoke to a loud thump coming from the living room and a groan that he immediately knew belonged to Buck. He got out of bed to see what had happened, even though it was still pretty early. 

When he entered the living room, he couldn’t help but laugh. Buck was sitting on the floor with his back leaning on the couch, holding his hand up to his head. His eyes were squinted so much, Eddie wasn’t even sure if he could see him enter the room. 

“Good morning, Buck,” Eddie said in an amusing tone. “Did you fall?”

Buck snapped out of his stupor and nodded. Just the miserable look on his face was enough to tell Eddie that he was no longer drunk, and he probably remembered more than he wants to from last night. 

Eddie walked to the kitchen and got the coffee machine up and running. It may be early, but he knew he wasn’t getting back to sleep anytime soon. 

“Uh, Eddie.” Buck said, startling Eddie as he grabbed the milk out of the fridge. “I had a dream last night. Where I said a lot of things to you. Uh.. private things.” Buck looked painfully shy, which was unlike him. 

Eddie smiled again. “You weren’t dreaming, my friend.” Buck’s eyes went wide at this information. Eddie made a mental note at how quickly Buck was able to snap out of his drunkenness and into panic mode. 

Eddie cut him off as he opened his mouth. He now knew that Buck was a talker. “Listen, Buck. It’s okay, we all say things we don’t mean when we had too much to drink.”

“That’s the thing, though.” Buck began, rubbing his eyes. “I meant them, Eddie. And I don’t usually remember much that happens when I was drunk, but for some reason, last night is so clear in my mind. Did I really tell you I wanted you to be my husband?” Eddie nodded, smiling at Buck’s upset reaction. “God, I don’t have anything to defend that, yeah I was drunk, I just don’t know.”

“Are you still lonely?” Eddie questioned. 

“Hmm?” Buck answered.

Eddie continued, “Last night at the bar. You saw those couples at that party and you said you were lonely.”

Buck nodded.

“Listen, Buck.” Eddie began, stepping closer to Buck in his small kitchen. “I know you were drunk. And by the look on your face right now, I’m assuming you have some regrets.” Buck laughed.

“Or maybe a lot of regrets.” Eddie continued. “You can take as long as you want to figure out what exactly you were trying to say to me last night, but there is only one thing I can’t forgive.”

Buck looked at him nervously. “It was when I brought up how you are a better dad to Chris than my parents were, right? God Eddie, I’m sorry I burdened you with that I hope I didn’t cross a line-“

“Buck.” Eddie interrupted yet again. “The only thing I can’t forgive is the fact that you’re lonely. I’m right here. I have always been right here. I will always be here for you to depend on.” He said, motioning his hand to the space around them. “So is Chris. You know he loves you so much.”

Buck looked astonished. “I love him too,” He began. He figured that by this point, he was pretty far deep that he might as well say it. “I love you, Eddie.” Buck said very quietly. “I have loved you for so long, I don’t even know when it started. I tried to push it away. I really did, I promise you that, Eddie.” Buck looked so sad that Eddie’s heart broke a little right there.

“Why are you crying?” Eddie said, finally reaching out and holding Buck’s cheek. 

Buck sniffled. “I’m so tired of being on the wrong side of unrequited love. It happens over and over again and I hate it.”

Eddie smiled. “You’re wrong. Long story short, Buck. I love you. I don’t ever want you to feel lonely again.”

Buck gasped. Eddie tenderly wiped Buck’s cheeks with his shirt sleeve and smiled when Buck sniffled. 

“When Shannon died, I never thought I’d get married again.” Eddie started. “I just assumed it wasn’t in the cards for me. But last night, after hearing you ramble, and when I say ramble, I mean you seriously did not shut up, not that I’m complaining.” Eddie continued. “I realized that the reason I didn’t want to remarry was because I couldn’t picture anyone willing to stick around with me after seeing all that my life entails. I’m not an independent 20-something anymore and I figured no one would want that. Then last night, you changed all that.”

Buck smiled so brightly that Eddie couldn’t help but laugh to himself. 

“Now you seem to be the one that won’t shut up.” Buck joked. “Does this mean you’ll kiss me?”

Eddie laughed, tilting his head back to fully laugh at the audacity of his best friend. Without answering, he swiped his thumb over Buck’s lips, watching his eyes fall shut as his other hand traced his birthmark. 

“You are so precious to me, Buck. I want to keep you.” He said, then reached to lightly touch his lips to Buck’s. Buck sighed, reaching his arms up to clasp around Eddie’s neck. The kiss was brief and very PG rated, but it held so much weight to it. 

“You have me.” Buck said, pulling away. He nuzzled his face into Eddie’s neck and hugged him. They stayed like that for a moment, reveling in their newly allowed ability to touch each other. 

“Buck…” Eddie started, pulling back to look in Buck’s eyes. “Do you really think you’d want me as your husband one day?”

Buck laughed, moving his hand to stroke through Eddie’s hair. “We’re not having a shot gun wedding, if that’s what you’re suggesting.” Eddie could see he was joking. “But.. yeah. I think I’d like that one day… I love you and Chris so much.”

Eddie smiled one of his bright and genuine smiles that were mainly reserved for Chris and Buck.

“I love you, Buck.” Eddie responded, kissing Buck’s neck as he nuzzled in for another hug.

“I think you can call me Evan now.” Buck said, laughing when Eddie looked up at him in surprise. “You can still call me Buck, but I like when people I love call me by my name.”

Eddie smiled and kissed Buck again. “Okay then. I love you, Evan.” He said into Buck’s lips as they attempted another kiss.

Their smiles were ruining the kiss and forced them to pull apart. Buck smiled at how his drunken rambling guided him to his happy ending that he’s been waiting for all along. He knew this was the start of something great.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
